Pediatric Resource Program
Providing assistance to patients and families in need
Dana-Farber's Pediatric Resource Program provides immediate and direct resource assistance to eligible families in need whose children are currently receiving treatment in the Jimmy Fund Clinic. The program, part of the Division of Pediatric Psychosocial Services, assists these families by:
- Identifying local, regional, and federal assistance programs;
- Serving as patient/family advocates and as liaisons between Dana-Farber and the resource community; and
- Providing direct and immediate support in some cases, including grocery and pharmacy gift cards, gift certificates to the local hospital food court, and prepaid telephone and gasoline cards.
For many families, the stress and hardship they face following a child's cancer diagnosis is intensified by financial burden. Finances are strained by lost income, as parents often must go on unpaid leave, reduce work hours, or even leave their jobs in order to help provide care and support during their child's illness. At the same time, there are new out-of-pocket expenses related to the child's care that are not covered by health insurance. Many families soon find it difficult to meet such basic and important expenses as copayments for their children's prescriptions, groceries, gasoline for frequent trips to and from Boston, and meal money for extended stays at the hospital.
As part of Dana-Farber's commitment to "total patient care," on-treatment pediatric patients and their families may meet with a clinician from the Division of Pediatric Psychosocial Services as a first step toward coping with the physical and emotional challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. In addition, many families also meet with a Resource Specialist from the Jimmy Fund Clinic's Resource Program, who will sit down with the family to discuss their needs and help them identify potential resource assistance.
To speak with a Resource Specialist, please ask any member of your Jimmy Fund Clinic care team for a referral or call a Resource Specialist directly. You may reach Daisy Gómez at (617) 632-5796, Michele Stolper at (617) 632-6842, or Joe Chabot at (617) 632-3365. Please note that this service is only available to families whose children are currently receiving treatment in the Jimmy Fund Clinic.
